Story of My Life
by OuzoAthena11
Summary: The life of Chad Danforth is more different than Troy realized. Will he be able to salvage their friendship. Not really about Troy... No slash. No pairings. One-shot. Credit for idea goes to Isclanel


**A/n All credit for this idea goes to Iscanel. I hope her crusade goes well! Check out her profile for her important message!**

I skidded to a stop outside the school. I looked at my watch. 36 minutes, a new record! I put up my bike before walking to my locker for the year. The beginning of a new school year... and my last in high school. I grinned at that thought as I put away my few supplies for the year.

I trotted outside to meet with Troy as he got off his bus. "Hey man, how's it going?"

Troy slapped my hand, "Awesome, my mom was crying about how her 'baby' is finally in high school. It was really funny. And yesterday we drove through the poor part of town. That was funny too. All those people wearing raggedy clothes and being skinny-" He rambled on.

I slipped off without him noticing. I hate it when he makes fun of the poor. He has no idea how much things cost. Well, he probably has _some_ idea after last summer, but still. Going to school here costs more than a thousand dollars! The only reason I go here is because I got in on an academic scholarship.

I'm going to look for Taylor. She understands. Maybe I'll look for Ryan. He understands as well, surprisingly. I was wandering along aimlessly when I literally ran into Kelsi.

I grinned, "Hey Kels. Have you seen Taylor or Ryan?"

She shook her head. I sighed and continued wandering. The bell rang, so I went to homeroom clutching my first and only basketball. I trotted in and Troy rolled his eyes when he saw that I was holding my ball.

"Honestly, you're my best friend and all, but you are a complete idiot sometimes. You've carried a basketball to class every day for every single year of high school! And you hold it protectively like something is going to happen to it."

I sat down and sunk into my seat. It's my only basketball, the same for three years. My father got it for me only days before he died, leaving Mom broke and caring for two kids. I half listened to the teacher as Troy tried to get me to talk to him.

As soon as the bell rang, I was off. I dropped off my basketball in my locker before looking at my schedule. I trotted off to calculus. Troy has never realized that I strive to do good in all my classes. If I don't, I won't be allowed to go to school here and would probably be begging on the streets.

Later that day I was assigned to write a paper based on an aspect of my life in creative writing. I was nearly done when the bell rang. I quickly stuffed it in my bag before darting off to lunch.

I chose more than a normal kid would to eat. Troy shook his head as he watched me devour it. I shrugged. I never ate breakfast, choosing to allow my sister and mom to have my share instead. As a result I was almost always nearly starving at lunch time.

A lot of the lunch hour discussion was about the poor neighborhood, thanks to Troy. He never noticed how uncomfortable I was about the subject. I never voiced an opinion. I didn't even react. Then...

"I'll never understand why those poor people don't mind living in such horrible conditions. I can't believe they live so dirtily. And they probably don't even try. Who would want to be friends with them." Troy proclaimed.

I looked down at my food. I felt my eyes prickle with forming tears. I will not cry. With as much self-control as I could muster, I stood up, looked Troy straight in the eyes and said with a slightly wavering voice, "We can't be friends if that is what you believe."

I slowly walked off, trying not to break down as everyone except Taylor and Ryan, who wore sympathetic looks, gaped at me. I avoided everyone in the gang for the rest of the afternoon until Spanish.

We had a new teacher this year, so a lot of what we will do will be review. How much fun. I walked in.

She looked at me, "Me llamo Sra. Hannigan. ¿Cómo te llamas?"

"Me llamo Chad. ¿Cómo está Ud.?" I responded as I looked at my classmates that hadn't realized that I was taking AP classes stared at me.

She smiled at me, "Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?" She gestured to the seating chart as I considered how I was feeling.

I settled on something neutral. "Mas o menos." I walked over to my desk and shrugged at Troy who was gaping and glaring at me. Oops, guess I made an enemy out of him. I couldn't help it though. He's so naïve. I paid close attention to our review for the rest of the day.

After the bell rang, I packed up my books, only to find that my paper was missing I desperately searched for it. I finally admitted defeat before heading out to my bike.

The next day I arrived and found it posted all over school. I knew immediately that it was not Troy. It contained some highly personal info and Troy is considerate enough not to post those things all over the place. All my life's secrets are out in the open.

I picked up the nearest copy and scanned it.

_The alarm rings. I get up and turn it off. My sister stirs on her side of the room. I sigh before walking over to the only bathroom in the house. I shower in less than a minute. I make a meager meal for Mom and Isabel. I take none myself. This is my life, though few know it._

_We used to live comfortably... then my dad died. Much of our money was spent on his funeral. Mom had to find a job. She couldn't find a job that paid much. It was better than nothing. I help out at a privately owned clothing store in exchange for all our clothes. Isabel and I nearly got sent to the local rundown schools, but the principal at East High had noticed my high grades and hers as well, though she was only going into fifth grade. She now is in eighth and is still top of her class. _

_Me? Well, I keep my good grades, or else I wouldn't be here at the moment. I do my best, but I followed the cliques for the longest time. Hardly any one knows, let alone understands what I go through in one day. I get up a 5. I go over to the clothing store and help with the stock and even make some suggestions for sayings to go on the shirts. Then, I bike to school. It takes 36 to 50 minutes to get here. I am so tired, yet I force myself to greet my friends cheerfully._

_Now even more troubles have been added to our heavy monetary burden. Isabel has been diagnosed with cancer and I might have it as well... As if our other problems aren't enough, social services have been nosing in on our cosy little family. If I am diagnosed with cancer, they will take us away on account of mom "not able to provide for her kids" _

_They don't get it. The one thing I have learned all these years above all else was not that begging will get money, not that drugs are bad, or not even that everyone is unique. It is that there is no greater bond than love. Most kids and teenagers think of love as what brought their parents together. It is that and much more..._

_Love is what binds us to our families. It helps us forgive each other, protect one another, and care for each other no matter what. I never thought that Isabel would be more than an annoying pest... then Dad died and I had to take care of her. I learned about her likes and dislikes more thoroughly than before. Now, with her cancer, we are closer than ever. We have typical brother-sister fights, but we get by them by the simple act of forgiveness._

_Love is what gives us loyalty to friends. It also does many other things, but this is one of the most important ones. I would have left Troy and Gabriella alone if it weren't for the insistance of the basketball team. It was out of love for my friend, a love not unlike the love that binds family, that allowed us to forgive each other, especially this summer. I hope that it keeps us, along with all our friends together for the rest of our years._

I crumpled the paper and glanced to the door to see Troy walked towards me. I dropped the piece of paper and bolted as Troy reached me. I ran all the way to my secret spot. I crawled into the corner and started to cry. Everyone is going to know... everyone is going to know that I don't have enough money to even buy my own clothes. My crying was muffled by the blankets I kept here.

"Whoa. I like this. A nice little alcove behind the bookcases. Who would have guessed?" Ryan joked as he squeezed in next to me. I raised an eyebrow at him. He held up his hands, "I already knew, well not to that extent, but I still knew. You should have seen Troy's face as he read it."

"Why, was he disgusted?" I asked wryly.

Ryan shook his head, "No, he was shocked and kept mouthing no. Then it seemed like a light bulb went off in his head as he realized that he had been accidently making fun of you."

"That's nice."

Ryan cocked his head in thought. "You know if social services comes butting in, I don't think my parents would mind taking you and Isabel in. They're planning on adopting. I think they miss me and Sharpay as little kids. And your mom could probably get a job as a maid or something."

I grinned, "I didn't know that my problems could be that easily solved."

The end

**A/n Okay, that wasn't my best. Oh, and I am nearly done with my first year of Spanish so don't kill me if I made some mistakes. Please review!!**


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